The new Skoda Rapid has arrived with a downsized TSI petrol engine, some cool new features but it has stiff competition in the C-segment against other petrol only sedans like the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz, Honda City and the Volkswagen Vento. We take a look at all four cars and their spec sheets to see which one offers the best deal.
Sedans in the C-segment seems to be quite populated, drawing some decent amount of attention from Indian buyers. With players like Maruti Suzuki, Honda, Hyundai, Toyota, Skoda and Volkswagen all providing a sedan in the segment. In the BS6 era, many of these players have decided to take a petrol-only approach. The Skoda Rapid has now been introduced in India with a new BS6 compliant, we try to find out how the Skoda Rapid fares against its chief petrol-only rivals which include the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz, Honda City and the Volkswagen Vento comparing their engines, transmissions, dimensions, feature offerings, and most importantly the price. Price being the most sensitive subject for Indian consumers, it is worth noting that the City and Vento attract a premium by some margin against the Rapid and Ciaz, but are these justified? We find out!
Skoda Rapid vs Maruti Suzuki Ciaz vs Honda City vs Volkswagen Vento: Engines
The Skoda Rapid and the Volkswagen Vento offer identical powertrains. They both come with a new 1.0-litre turbocharged 3-cylinder engine with TSI and cylinder deactivation technology that help them to be more efficient. Maruti Suzuki, on the other hand, makes use of its 12V mild-hybrid technology on its 1.5-litre 4-cylinder naturally aspirated motor. The Honda City offers the most powerful motor among the four with a 1.5-litre 4-cylinder engine. The Ciaz is the least powerful of the lot, while the Skoda Rapid and the Volkswagen Vento offer the highest amount of torque on offer. When it comes to transmission duties, both the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz and the Honda City offer 5-speed manual gearboxes. The Volkswagen Vento and Skoda Rapid offer 6-speed manuals. The Skoda Rapid does not offer an automatic option, while it is expected to receive the 6-speed automatic from the Volkswagen Vento. The Maruti Ciaz is equipped with an ageing 4-speed only, while the Honda City uses a CVT.
| ENGINE SPECS | Rapid | Vento | Ciaz | City |
| Engine | 1.0L, i3, TSI | 1.0L, i3, TSI | 1.5L, i4, Mild Hybrid | 1.5L, i4 i-VTEC |
| Power | 108hp | 108hp | 103hp | 118hp |
| Torque | 175Nm | 175Nm | 138Nm | 145Nm |
| Transmission | 6-M | 6-M / 6-AT | 5-M / 4-AT | 5-M / CVT |
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Skoda Rapid vs Maruti Suzuki Ciaz vs Honda City vs Volkswagen Vento: Dimensions
If you look at the size of all four cars, the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz is the longest, widest and offers the longest wheelbase that translates to an immense amount of cabin space. The Honda City is the second-largest model among the four, while the Skoda Rapid and Volkswagen Vento are pretty evenly matched. The Rapid, Ciaz and City all offer 195/55 R16 tyres, the largest wheel size offered with the Honda City is slightly narrower.
| DIMENSIONS | Rapid | Vento | Ciaz | City |
| Length mm | 4413 | 4390 | 4490 | 4440 |
| Width mm | 1699 | 1699 | 1730 | 1695 |
| Height mm | 1466 | 1467 | 1485 | 1495 |
| Wheelbase mm | 2552 | 2553 | 2650 | 2600 |
| Max Tyre Size | 195 / 55 R16 | 195 / 55 R16 | 195/55 R16 | 185 / 55 R16 |
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Skoda Rapid vs Maruti Suzuki Ciaz vs Honda City vs Volkswagen Vento: Features
The equipment lists among all four cars are fairly similar. All of them come with Rear AC vents, Cruise Control, and touchscreen systems with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. But the touchscreens in the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz and the Honda City are 7-inch systems while the Volkswagen Vento and Skoda Rapid touchscreens are 8-inch systems.
Other differentiating features among the four are that the Honda City is the only one which offers a sunroof and up to 6 airbags. Additionally, the Volkswagen Vento is the only one that does not offer automatic headlamps, while the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz is the only car of the lot with no rain-sensing wipers. The Maruti Suzuki Ciaz offers only 2 airbags across the range, while the Skoda Rapid and the Volkswagen Vento take that up to 4 airbags. ABS, EBD rear parking sensors, speed alert warning are offered as standard offerings on all cars as mandatory.
| FEATURES | Rapid | Vento | Ciaz | City |
| Sunroof | No | No | No | Yes |
| Rear AC Vents | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Touchscreen | 8-inch | 8-inch | 7-inch | 7-inch |
| Apple CarPlay | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Android Auto | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cruise Control | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Auto Headlamp | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Rain-sensing Wipers | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Airbags | 4 | 4 | 2 | 6 |
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Skoda Rapid vs Maruti Suzuki Ciaz vs Honda City vs Volkswagen Vento: Price
With all said and done, it all comes down to the price. The Honda City, despite being the oldest model among the four, offers the most powerful engine. It is the second-largest car amongst the lot and is fairly well equipped. But it is also the most expensive model asking up to Rs 14.3 lakh for the fully-loaded variant. The Volkswagen Vento, on the other hand, is decently equipped, but it seems a little pricey in front of its sibling, the Skoda Rapid. The top of the line Vento is Rs 1.5 lakh more expensive than Skoda Rapid, but the Vento does offer an automatic at that price. However, variant-for-variant, the Rapid is priced lower than the Vento and seems better equipped, and when the automatic Rapid does arrive, it may undercut the Vento still. However, no one plays the pricing game better than Maruti Suzuki. While the Skoda Rapid is the most affordable model of the lot, the fully equipped Ciaz is the least pricey despite being the largest in the segment, offering a decent level of equipment and a fair amount of clever technology with its powertrain. Although it could offer more airbags and more modern automatic transmission.
| PRICE | Rapid | Vento | Ciaz | City |
| Petrol | Rs 7.4 – 11.7 lakh | Rs 8.8 – 13.2 lakh | Rs 8.3 – 11 lakh | Rs 9.9 – 14.3 lakh |
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On paper, the best value for money proposition would be the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz. But if the lack of an automatic option is not a deal-breaker, the Skoda Rapid strikes the right balance with adequate performance, features, size and price.
Also Read 2020 Hyundai Verna vs Maruti Suzuki Ciaz vs Honda City: Specs, price, features compared
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